Slices of fish simmered in coconut milk and spices - this is a popular fish curry in Kerala to be serve with rice.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Fish Curry
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour
Servings 4Servings
Author Syama
Ingredients
1lbFish(500g)Cleaned and Sliced
1/2CPearl OnionsSliced
3 - 4Cloves Garlic
1/2Inch Fresh Ginger
4 - 5 Green Chili
FewCurry Leaves
1 -2 PiecesKerala Kokum / Kudampuli / Fish TamarindSee Notes
Coconut Milk From 1/2 CoconutSee Notes
1/4TspFenugreek Seeds
1/2TspMustard Seeds
1/2TspTurmeric
1TspChili Powder To taste
1/2TspSalt To taste
2TbspCoconut Oil
Instructions
Clean and slice the fish to desired size pieces. Set aside.
Soak the kokum in 1/2 C warm water.
Grate the coconut and extract the coconut milk . Keep 11/2 Cups of thin coconut milk and 1/2 C thick coconut milk.
Slice or crush the pearl onions, ginger, and garlic. Break the green chilies into halves if desired. In a heavy bottom pan/wok/terracotta pot heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. When the oil is hot add the onion, garlic and ginger pieces to it along with the green chilies. Saute for a few minutes until the onions are soft. Add the mustard seeds , fenugreek seeds and the curry leaves to the oil. Cook for a minutes until the seeds splutter and the aromas fill the air.
Add the spice powders and salt to the pan along with a few drops of water. Stir fry for 30 seconds till the spices cook and water dries. Add the thin coconut milk and the kokum with its soaking water. Mix and let it come to a boil .
Slide the fish pieces in. Scoop the liquid with a ladle and pour over the top of the fish pieces. Cover and let cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Uncover, flip the fish slices if the slices are thick, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or till the pieces are cooked through.
Add the thick coconut milk and adjust salt. Let the curry come back to a slow boil over low heat. Take off the heat as soon as bubbles begin to appear on the sides. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes for the flavors to mature.
Serve immediately or refrigerate as soon as cooled to room temperature.
Notes
Pomfret, mackrel , cat fish and similar fish work well in this dish.
If using canned coconut milk, use watre mixed with i tbsp coconut cream as the thin coconut milk and use the cream for the thick coconut milk
If kokum is not available , soak a small piece of tamarind. Or remove the seeds and pulp from a medium size tomato and add it just before pouring the thin coconut milk .